Parsons Corporation announced the expansion of its comprehensive solutions to mitigate the impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on the environment. A leading provider of PFAS services across the United States and Canada, Parsons leverages 20 years of experience to strengthen its preeminent market position and advance its commitment to delivering sustainable PFAS solutions. The company’s integrated approach combines science-based strategies, in-house research and development, and an advanced contaminants elimination program to develop tailored solutions for customers.

Core PFAS Solutions

Parsons’ portfolio comprises four primary technologies designed to address PFAS contamination across water, soil, and infrastructure. These solutions include Hot In Situ Chemical Oxidation (Hot ISCO), Catalyzed Ultraviolet (UV) PFAS Destruction, Thermal Desorption, and Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) Cleanout services. Together, these pillars provide a comprehensive offering that spans environmental investigation, removal from the consumer product stream, active in-situ and ex-situ destructive PFAS remediation, and long-term stewardship.

Technology and Implementation

Parsons applies a science-driven approach to PFAS challenges, combining advanced treatment technologies with practical implementation strategies. Hot ISCO targets PFAS-impacted source zones by coupling elevated temperatures with in-situ catalyzed chemical oxidation to destroy PFAS in-situ. This technology can also be applied ex-situ to destroy PFAS mass in contaminated water, wastewater, and manufacturing plant waste streams. Thermal Desorption is a turn-key solution for on-site applications that uses heat to remove PFAS from soil and other solids, destroying contaminants in the off-gas stream. This technology has been demonstrated in cold weather environments, including a project in Anchorage, Alaska.

Catalyzed UV PFAS Destruction is a patent-pending technology that destroys PFAS in water, wastewater, and complex liquid waste streams using UV-based catalytic reactions. It achieves greater than 99 percent PFAS destruction under real-world conditions at a fraction of the cost of competing technologies. The AFFF cleanout service combines proprietary equipment with PerfluorAd®, a product invented by Cornelsen, for which Parsons is the exclusive North American Provider. This method achieves 99+ percent PFAS removal, protecting firefighters and reducing long-term liability.

Project Applications and Demonstrations

Parsons’ PFAS solutions are being deployed across various installations and complex sites. The company completed a large thermal desorption of PFAS in soil remediation project at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in Anchorage, Alaska. The project, funded and administered by the United States Department of War (DOW) and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), involved a 2,000 cubic yard soil stockpile. Additionally, Parsons has demonstrated proof-of-concept for an aqueous-electron-based complete defluorination and destruction of PFAS in aqueous phase media, with multiple projects in development throughout North America.

In 2025, Parsons managed and completed the cleanout of 20 fire response vehicles at Denver International Airport, achieving an average of 95 percent PFAS removal. At Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport, the company oversaw the cleanout of six fire response vehicles and one fixed storage tank, achieving 99 percent PFAS removal. Parsons also presented AFFF cleanout capabilities to the Environment Canada and Climate Change AFFF working group to support the industry's transition to non-PFAS containing foams.

Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight filed a $28 million complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia against Parsons Financial Corporation and its fiduciaries, alleging violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). The lawsuit claims Parsons imprudently retained a poorly performing fund in its 401(k) retirement savings plan for over a decade, resulting in substantial financial losses for plan participants.

The complaint centers on the Nuveen Dividend Growth Fund, which was added to the Parsons retirement savings plan in 2012. According to the filing, the fund consistently underperformed its stated benchmark and experienced significant cash outflows. The plaintiffs argue that the decision to retain the fund indicates a lack of the proper care, skill, and diligence required of plan fiduciaries.

Financial data presented in the complaint highlights the extent of the underperformance. From January 1, 2012, through June 30, 2020, the Nuveen Dividend Growth Fund reportedly underperformed the S&P 500 by over 46%, returning 147.44% compared to the benchmark's 194.20%. This period alone cost the plan approximately $18,200,000 in retirement savings.

The fund's performance allegedly deteriorated further in the subsequent years. From July 1, 2020, to December 31, 2025, the complaint states the Nuveen Dividend Growth Fund lagged behind the S&P 500 by more than 37 percentage points. Consequently, the Parsons plan is alleged to have lost over $28 million in earnings during this timeframe.

Charles Field, Co-Chair of Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight’s Financial Mismanagement and ERISA Litigation Practice Group and counsel for the plaintiff, criticized the fiduciaries' inaction. "Employees expect their retirement plans to set them up for a successful retirement. Parsons failed the plan by failing to remove the disastrous Nuveen Dividend Growth Fund," Field stated. He added that it is disappointing to see fiduciaries fail to act when faced with objective financial performance data.

Kristi Stahnke McGregor, Of Counsel at Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, emphasized the broader impact of the alleged mismanagement. "The harm to the Parsons retirement savings plan is not just about the sheer financial losses, but it’s also about eroding the trust of workers," McGregor said. The lawsuit seeks to recover losses for the plan and its participants.